Improvement in apparatus for distilling sea-water



G.S.G.SPEN.OE. APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING FRESH WATER No. 29,015.,

FROM- SEA WATER. Patented July 3, 1860.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. G. SPENOE OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SEA-WATER.

To all whom-it may concern.-

Be it known that I, G. S. G. SPENGE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedOonstruction of Apparatus for Obtaining Fresh Water from Sea-Water, andwhich is also capable of being applied to other similar purposes; and Ihereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andreferences, which make part of this specification.

The nature of the invention consists in the arrangement and combinationof a boiler with a movable condensing apparatus and a funnelreceptaclewithin the chamber of the boiler for discharging the condenseddistillate therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings and references, Figural shows a verticalsection of the boiler, condenserand receptac1e;.Fig. 2, an elevation ofthe same apparatus with the stopcockfor discharging steam and air in thecom mencement of the process; Fig. 3, a siphon shown'in section and ofpeculiar construction, to be filled by means of a blast of air throughit. 7 Let A A represent the sides of the boiler; A, the bottom, whichmay be received into the usual opening'in thetop of a cooking-stove orrange.

B is the funnel-receptacle,receiving thecondensed vapor from the underside of the condenser and conducting it-off by the dischargepipe 0.

0' represents th condensing-surface of the condenser to be filled withcold water to line f, or even higher.

D is a stop-cock for the discharge of air'and steam when the boiler isfirst put in operation,

and may be afterward closed.

E is a .depressionor groove on the outside of the flange FF, designed toreceive the asvsending portion of pipe 0, which, as herein shown, riseson the inside and discharges its 7 contents at or near the middle of theheight-of the boiler, but might equally well be so 'ar condensingapparatus. OF E, &c., is supplied .space.

Specification forming part of'Letters Patent No. 29,0] 5, dated J uly 3,1860.

with suitablehandles, b b, and projecting flange F F, which rests on theshoulder a: w, and is made removable, as seen in the drawings. It isdesigned that the flange F F shall be parallel with and nearly incontact with the sides of the boiler, whether groove E be used or not.Re-

ceptacle B is made with a very shorttrunipetmouth to receivejthe dripfrom the inverted cone C, and should be barely large enough to receivethe drip of condensed liquid with certainty from the point of theinverted cone, and since the flange F F comes nearly into contact withthe sides of the boiler thearea of the funnel-mouth B need not be largerthan that of a silver dollar,or thereabout. This proportion gives almostthe entire surface of the condensing-bottom O to the direct action ofthe ascending currents of steam and produces greatly-increased rapidityof condensation.

In the arrangement of this apparatus it is desirable that it bemadecomparatively broad and low to obtain an in creased condensing-surface,and to bring that surface 'as nearas may be to the surface of theboiling liquid without coming so near as to receive the spray andrupture of the bubbles produced from boiling. \Vhen this apparatus isused for obtaining fresh water from sea-water, a principal use designedby this invention, this intervening space will be regulated by practice,and will be governed by the strength of the fire,.the exposure of theboiler-bottom, 85c. Strongfire and nearness to the fire would requireagreater distance between the boiling-surface of 1 the liquid and thebottom of the condensing-surface, while low fire would require adiminished These involve skill and not invention. It is also-practicableto suspend a vessel under-the condensing-apex in place of thefunnel-receptacle above named. The width of the bottom of theboiler isalso part of the consideration of the distancebetween the'boiling and.condensing surface. The amount of water condensed will also depend upon.the amount of fire-surface exposed.

\Vhen the boiler is to be kept in constant action, as in the caboose ofa ship at. sea, the usual supply-pipes for cold water and fordischarging the heated water from the condenser are used and need not bedescribed here. For temporary purposes, however, a siphon, G, of

peculiar form,is used to discharge the hot wathe mode of using the same,what I claim as ter from the condenser. It consists of a small new, anddesire to secure byLetters'Patentflsbent tube, g'i, receivedendsoldered. into a The arrangement of the receptacle B, in 5 larger tube,h k, as shown in Fig. 3, the mouth combination with the boiler A. andcondenser is being slightly trumpet form. This siphon O, in the mannersubstantially, as and for the is charged by dipping leg 9 into liquidand purposes set forth.

blowing, with the lips applied at k, a short quick blast through thetube h h, when the I SPENGE' water rises in leg 9 and continues tornnoff Witnesses; v

at h until the condenser is emptied. J. O. PERKINS,

Having now described my invention and THOS, P. PINGREE, J r. 1

